Who wrote "Frankenstein"?

Mary Shelley wrote “Frankenstein,” formally titled Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, first published in 1818.

Shelley began developing the story during the summer of 1816, while staying near Lake Geneva with Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Polidori. Inspired by discussions of science, galvanism, and a ghost-story challenge, she imagined a scientist who brings a living creature into existence and is horrified by the result.

The first edition was published anonymously, which helped create an enduring misconception that Percy Shelley wrote the novel or contributed most of it. Mary’s name appeared on the 1823 edition, and she substantially revised the text for the 1831 edition.

Another common mix-up is calling the creature “Frankenstein.” Frankenstein is the scientist; the novel never gives his creation a personal name. The book blends Gothic horror, Romantic literature, and early science fiction, making Shelley one of the genre’s foundational writers.